Musical fountain



June 6, 1933.

E. O. ZYNDA MUSICAL FOUNTAIN Filed April 14, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 6, 1933. E Q ZYNDA 1,912,562

MUS I CAL FOUNTAIN Filed April 14, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 6, 1933 PATENT OFFICE ERICK O. ZYNDA, F CHARLES TOWN, WEST VIRGINIA MUSICAL FOUNTAIN Application led April 14,

This invention relates to amusement devices and particularly, though not necessarily, to musical fountains designed to be used on the stage.

The general object olf this invention is to provide a construction and arrangement whereby manually controlled water jets may be projected against toned elements and by their impact cause the production of musical Vibrations according to a tone scale, the projection of the jets being controlled manually by a player operating the keys of a keyboard.

A further object is to provide a construction of this character particularly adapted for the stage in which the elements against which the water jets strike are in the form of flowers and leaves, preferably of glass, though they might be made of any material, the water jets being projected with varying force against these flowers or leaves to produce notes of a musical scale, the various flowers or leaves being tuned to accomplish this end.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illust-rated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of my invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of another form wherein musical leaves or flowers are used;

Figure 3 is a modification of the structure shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the electrical means whereby a valve may be controlled from a key-board. y

Referring to these drawings in Figure 1, l have illustrated one of the simplest forms of my device, this ligure also illustrating the general principle upon which the device is based. In this figure, 10 designates a supporting frame from which are supported the plates 11 which maybe of glass, metal or any other suitable material and constitute chimes. The members 11, while illustrated as having the form of plates, might have the form of solid bars or tubular bars of anything of this nature which will give forth a note when the bars are struck or vibrated. n

1932. Serial No. 605,299.

It will be-understood, of course, that these members 11 are to be of different lengths so that each member will emit a different note when struck or impacted. For the purpose of vibratingthese members 11, I have illustrated diagrammatically a pipe 12 having a plurality of jets 13, there being a jet for each element 11 and'water being forced through this pipe andprojected in the form of jets against the several elements 11. For the purpose of controlling the projection of Water from the jets 13 so that tunes may be played, I have illustrated diagrammatically a keyboard with keys 14. These keys may be connected by levers 15 to links or rods 16 in turn operating the handles 17 of valves 18. I do not wish to be limited to any particular kind of Valve as obviously ,a large number of different valves may be used. The water jets may be projected at all times from each of the jets 13 and then the force of Water increased to carry the jet against the corresponding element 11 or the Water jets may be normally cut off entirely and only projected when the key '14 is depressed. Under any circumstances, however, with a key 14:k

in its normal position. the water jet is not projected with suflicient force to cause any vibration of a plate 11. The key board is to be disposed at any suitable remote point. It might be played from a manual in the orchestra or it might be played from off stage or by a performer on the stage.l The water is supplied to the pipe 12 from any suitable source and at any desired pressure and a collecting tank 19 is, of course, provided below the several plates 11l by which the water may be collected and drained off. j In Figure 1, as before stated, I have illustrated a very simple form of my invention but in Figure 2 I illustrate a form in which the similitudes of plants are provided having leaves 11a., these several leaves being disposedk in such position as to be impacted by jets and-the several leaves being of different areas, sizes or contours so that each leaf when struck by a jet of water will give a predetermined. note, the notes, of course, being different. These artificial plants, as they may be termed, may be associated with natural plants or any other stage scenery to add to the verisimilitude or otherwise combined with a stage setting. In this embodiment shown in Figure Q I have illustrated a tubular frame or conduit 20 having jets 21 discharging downwardly (or in any other desired direction), the water Jfrom the jets impacting against the several leaves. The water may be discharged drop by drop upon the several leaves or may be projected' in a jet and the projection of the vater is controlled by keys I4 as previously described connected by links or other suitable means to the valves Q2 ot the jets.

In Figure I have illustrated another torni ot my invention wherein the similitudes otl plants are provided having the leaves or flowers lla, as previously described, but in which the water jets are projected upward from a pipe Q3 connected, of course, to a suitable source ot water and there being a jet tor each of the flowers or leaves, these jets being in turn controlled by a bank of keys M as previously described. The jets, it will be seen, in this 'form of the invention constitute fountains which might be illuminated and therefore, give an extremely pretty etlect, these jets rising or falling in accordance with the manipulation of the keys ll and the jets when sufficiently high and projected with sutlicient torce, striking the musical leaves or flowers lla and producing a musical note in the manner heretofore stated. As before stated, these flowers or leaves ,lla may be made ot metal, glass or any other suitable material which when struck by a jet of water or other fluid willl produce a musicalnote. lhile in Figure I, I have shown keys which are directly con ncctcd to the valves, I' do not wish to be lim ited to this. as it is obvious that the valves may be controlled by electrical means and in Figure 4, I have illust-rated such electrical means in which the valve lever 17 is urged upward by a spring Q4 against its stop 25 while a solenoid 2G acts when energized to pull the valve lever downwardand thus open the valve sullicient-ly to permit the jet of water to be projected. The wires to the magnet or solenoid are, ot course, connected in an open circuit with a source of current and a key or switch 27.. This is merely illustrative ot the tact that electrical means may be used for the purpose of controlling the projection of the water against elements such as ll or lla and it is perfectly obvious that very delicately operated valves might be provided tor this purpose which would be electrically operated and which could control very readily the volume of water projected and the force with which it was projected. It will be obvious that a stage setting displaying these. musical plants would be interesting and that the set could be made very beautiful and that the construction pro` vides a very novel act which might be combined with varying colored lights and with actual acting, if desired.

I claim l. A musical device ol the character described, including elements which when struck will produce ditl'erent notes, a liquid supplying means having ets directed toward said elements, and means for manually controlling the projection of jets of fluid against said elements.

Q. A musical device ot the character described, comprising elements which when struck produce a musical note, a liquid supply pipe having jets directed toward said clements and 7alves controlling the emission of tluid'from said jets, and a key-board, the keys oi which correspond to` said clcments,. and mea ns controlled by said key-board for controlling said valves.

3. A musical device of the character described comprising objects having resonant elements carried thereby, each of the elements when struck producing a musical note, the note being dill'ercnt for ditl'crent elements, and manually controlled'selective means for projecting jets of liquid against the clements.

4. A musical device ot the character described, comprising objects having resonant elements carried thereby, each of the elements when struck producing a musical note, the note being dillerent for dill'erent elements, a supply pipe connected to a source of fluid, valve controlled jets connected to the supply pipe and adapted' each to project a jet of liquid against one of the elements, and keyboard actuated means for controlling the valves of said jets.

5. A stage apparatus including artificial plants having` leaves and flowers of resonant material, each leaf' or flower when struck emit-ting a particular note. a supply pipe connected to a source ot liquid under pressure, jets directed 'from the supply pipe towardthe respective resonant leaves and flowers, valves controlling emission from said jets, and a keyboard operatively connected to said valves whereby they may be manually controlled.

6. A musical device of the character de scribed, including elements which when struck will produce different notes, and manually controlled means tor each clement for discharging liquid against said element.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature.

ERICK O. ZYNDA. 

